The present invention concerns a package manufactured from a flexible material, specifically for grainy/granular or powdery products. More specifically, the present invention concerns a package of a flexible material which is provided with at least a device which allows easy and controlled dosage and/or delivery of the product contained in the package, and which automatically will close after use.
Presently, there exist a number of package forms for storage of different grainy, granular, or powdery products. Examples of such products may be ground spices, such as salt, pepper, cinnamon, or the like, or granular spices in the form of finely chopped spicy herbs (e.g., oregano). Other examples of such products may be different medical powders for application at wound areas (e.g., talcum), or different cosmetic powders, such as for instance face powder.
Package forms for these products are often glass/rigid plastic containers, or more thin-walled and flexible packages.
Flexible packages are commonly characterized by being produced from different materials from a roll, which are shaped into containers such as simple bags (sachets, pouches), tube shaped bags (so-called flow packs/stick packs), or independently standing bags/standing pouches. The materials used in such flexible packages are generally different laminates of plastic, paper and/or barrier films, which together confer the necessary strength and storage properties (e.g., maintenance of aroma) to the flexible package. The materials are formed into containers or packages, and are joined along defined areas using techniques such as for instance gluing or welding (heat, ultra sound, laser, etc.). Today, there exist a lot of techniques enabling the production of thin-walled, tube shaped bags employing for instance injection molding, wherein the tube shaped bags may be used as a component in a flexible package (e.g., tooth paste tubes, milk packages etc.).
The rigid glass/plastic containers are generally equipped with different lids; and in some cases simple devices for dosage and pouring of the products.
The flexible packages for storing granular or powdery products are often completely closed packages which may be opened by tearing along defined package edges, or by using scissors/knives. After use, the opening edge is folded together and is held together with a rubber band, clips, etc.
However, presently, closable packages in which the flexible package is closed after use, using for instance a built-in zip-lock, are becoming more common. EP 2050688 A1 discloses an independently standing package of a flexible material for a granular or powdery product, wherein the package comprises a supporting base area, from which base area opposite side walls extend. The side walls are connected to the periphery of the base area, and the side edges are further connected to each other up to a certain height of the package such that free upper areas of the side walls are left, and a perforated plate, along its circumference, is fixed to an inner side of the free upper areas of the side edges. Before the package has been opened, the perforated plate is folded together and connected around its circumference. When the package is to be used, the perforated plate is torn apart to provide an opening in the package.
However, the known flexible packages provide the user with little possibility to control the pouring of the product contained in the package, because pouring of the product occurs through predefined openings in the package. In addition, the user has to close the package after use, using for example rubber bands, paper clips, or zip-locks, which may cause the user to forget closing the package and/or not closing the package completely or in a correct way, in which case the product may loose aroma and/or taste.
Thus, it is an object of the present invention to provide a flexible package which contains and pours out a product, which package is provided to enable a controlled dosage and/or pouring of the product, wherein the package will close automatically after use.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a flexible package which is economically and easy to manufacture.